Automatic weapon and ammunition



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Sept- 24, 1963 J. o. GLORVIG 3,104,588

AUTOMATIC wEAPoN AND AWUNITION Filed Feb. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept 24, 1963 J. o. GLoRvlG AUTOMATIC wEAPoN AND Am/fUNITIoN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8. 1961 INVENToR James. D Glamig BY jf/m www@ .mlm .MH

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United States Patent O Y 3,104,588 AUTOMATIC WEAPON AND AlVIMUNlTION James 0. Glorvig, 1075 Coronet Ave., Pasadena, Calif.

Filed Feb. 8, 19.61, Ser. No. 87,978 y 2 Claims. (Cl. 89-33) v (Granted under Title 35, U.S.C0de (-1952), sec. 266) This invention described herein may be manufactured and rusedby or forfthe Government for governmental purposes fwithout the payment to me 'of any royalty thereon.

Thisl invention relates to an automatic Weapon for iirf ing rectangular, square, hexagonal, octagonal orany other p complished by means of a chamber having top and bottom walls, the sides being open for receiving a shuttle type dual feed mechanism.

This application is a continuation-impart of the application, .Serial No. 612,080 tiled September 4, 1956, now

abandoned. i

A primary object of this invention is to provide an automatic weapon having a rapid hre rat-e and possessing a more compact operating mechanism and possessing lightweight.

Another object of ythe invention is to combine the operational unction'of ammunition feeding, ejecting and rtiring in one `inter-val andthe chambering, extraction andjcocking in another.

Afurther'object is the elimination of ammunition belts, links, heavy feed mechanisms by a side feeding and ejecting mechanism.

A still further object is to eliminate the danger of high order explosion in all areas except when the ammunition is chambered, the feeding mechanism being runder `separate control and independent of the weapon operation.

, Other objects and advantages-of theinvention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

minimize distance, and restrictmovements. This is ac- EIGml is a fragmentary side'viewsof the weapon of the invention; the frame chamber being omitted;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame chamber -mounted to the barrel;y A

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the weapon with parts left out for clarity; e i

FIG. 4 is a Crossisection taken along line 4-14 of FIG. 3;

- FIGS. 5ft-5c snm-mos. sd-Sf amend views ef two examples of shuttle assembly configuration to accommodate ammunition havingv a shape other than rectangular; Y e f 4FIG. 4f6 is aside View of the locking block; FIG. v7 is a top view of the cam operating the blocks shown in L'FIG. 6; i i

rFIG; 8 is a cross section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

F-IG.9 is a cross' section of thel mating cam portion of the operating mechanism that is operated byand-attached to the operating rod; p g Y EIG. 1,0,is'an end view'of `a rectangular type ammunition used in the weapon' ofthe invention; p

FIGfll is a cross section taken along line 11a-r11-` of FIG. 10; Y p p PIG. 12 is a side view of the .ammunition case shown in FIGS. 1'0 and ll;

FIG. 13 is a cross section taken along line -13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic rear view of the manner of ammunition feeding of the weapon;

Y 65. transverse direction only with respect to the longitudinal 3,104,588 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 FIG. 15 is a side view of the weapon and showing the shuttle assembly; l p

FIG. 16 is an enlarged rView ofthe locking blocks and Ytheir cooperation with the operating rods;

FIG. 417 is an enlarged cross section taken along line 17-117 of FIG. 15; and,

FIG. 1S is an end view taken in the plane indicated by line 1S-18 of FIG. 17. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. l, a barrel f1 attached to an open chamber-frame 2. Chamber-frame 2 is provided with an integral top wall .25 andv an integral bottom wail 26, an integral end wall 60 in which is housed a firing pin 34 and an integral front wall y59 -Which receives the breech end of barrel, which may be threadably engaged 'therein or by other suitable means. As seen in IFIG; 2, a transverse rectangular chamber open at both ends 6 is formedlin the barrel frame for receiving a chamber-frame 113 (see =FlG. 4). `The longitudinal length and height of chamber'6 is substantially equal to the llongitudinal -length and height of a rectangular shapel ammunition package Vindicated by 7 in lFIGS. 10i-13. The ammunition is shown in IFIGS. 10"-13 and include n an ammunition package, which as shown in F-IG. l() is a square case 36 having a thickened front 1'8 and a rear plate 19 of suiiicient strength to withstand the loading operations.

A striking primer 35 is provided in the rear plate 19 `of case 36. The projectile 37 is externally encased in the generally by 4 and shown schematically in iFIG. 4 and'in detail in FIGS. 16 and 17. This assembly consists of two side walls 1-1 and 12 and an intermediate Wall 14. Walls '1-1, -12 and 14 are carried by frame 13 and the entire as.y

sembly slides transversely in chamber 6 from either side, and, as one round is fired at ring position '15, another round of live ammunition 16 is loaded between walls d4 and 12 and the spent round =17 is ejected. The process is repeated when the frame slides to the other side of cham- .ber 6. f

` =Bjection of spent rounds -17 while performed by gravity is also assisted by pivoted latches 20 (better `shown in 17).V v Y Means are provided for sliding the shuttle assembly 4 andare indicated genenally by 5 and illustrated in `FIGS. 3 and l5 and .comprise a pair of operating rods 27 1ocated one above and one below the gun (see FIG. l5). Rods 27 are attached to a sleeve 45 slidable on gun barrel 1. Each rod 27 carries a cam follower 28. Slidably se- -oured one each to the top and bottom of the gun is a cam 62 (see iFI G3) having a V-shaped cam slot 29 invvhich the cam follower f2.8 rides. Cam 62 moves frame'f13 in chamber 6 as rods 27 are moved longitudinally back and forth. Guide rollers 30 cause cam 6210 travel in a axis of the gun.

Shuttle assembly 4 is operated by gases from the gun barrel `1 and comprises a pair of pistonV rods 63 attached at one of theirV ends to sleeve 45 and at their other ends to respective pistons :64 slidable in cylinders 44. The pistons y64 are normally biased Vin a forward position by return springs 65. Gas is admitted to cylinders 44 by ports 166 which are located near the muzzle of the gun and the cylinders 44 are secured to the gun barrel by mounts 47 which may be straps or the like. l

When the ammunition is located in -iiring position I15, means are provided to lock side walls k11 and l14, against displacement while liring.

The looking means comprise four locking bars 3 (see FIGS. 4 and 16) that are pivotally mounted at'one of their ends at 70 one each in a recess 2.1 in bottom 26, and similarly lin top 2.5 (not shown) there being two recesses, in bottom 26 and two in top 25. Their other ends are pivotally mounted as at 71 to a vertical actuating rod 23. Locking bars 3 are adapted to engage full length grooves 22 in the bottom surface of walls 11 and 14. A similar arrangement is used on the top side of walls 11 and 14 (not shown). Each rod 23 slides in holes Z4 in top 25 and bottom 26 and are provided with heads 33 for engagement in cam plates indicated generally by 48, there being two, one being slidable under the bottom wall `2.6 and one being slidable on top of the top ywall 25. Cam plates 48 are provided with cam surfaces 49 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) which receive heads 33 and are for the purpose of moving the rods 23 vertically in grooves 22 for locking or unlocking the frame `13 in tiring position.

Means for moving cam assemblies 48 is provided and consists of four operating rods 31 arranged in spaced relation, two being on the top of the frame l113 and two being on the bottom of the frame '13. Each pair of rods 31 are attached to a cam plate 48. Rods 31VeXtend forwardly of the cam plates 48 to a sleeve 67 which is attached to la pair of piston rods 39 and piston 68 which slides in a gas cylinder 38 one being on the top and one on the bottom of the gun and both cylinders 38 are secured to the gun barrel 1 by `a strap clamp 6'1. A return spring 46 is provided in each cylinder 38 and a gas port 69, one for each cylinder 38 is provided to admit combustion gas from barrel 1 for oper-ation of the rods 3,1.

`Latches 40 are provided for holding each rod 27 when in .their rearward position and are tensioned by springs 41 secured to barrel f1 in diametrically opposed position by a strap clamp 43 and to which catches 40 are pivotally mounted. Upon return of the rods 27 to forward position by action of springs 65, catches 40 are pivoted into a groove 42, one each on each rod Z7.

FIG. l17 is an enlarged view and in more specific detail than FIG. 14. -In this view, there is shown two different kinds of drives for advancing the ammunition to the firing position and are by way of example only.

One drive on the left shows an electric motor 50 having a pulley 55. Belt 52 bears against the ammunition l16 by a slip clutch 51 and moves the ammunition `16 downward against latch which is tripped by an ejected round on that side.

On the right side of the gun, another example is shown and consists of a gas operated piston 57 sliding in a cylinder 53. Tubing 54 from a source (not shown) moves the piston 57 downwardly against return spring 58 to actas the ammunition in the same manner as on the left side.

Operation Chamber frame 2 acts as the ring chamber of the gun as only projectile 37 travels through the barrel and case `316 after tiring is ejected from the chamber.

At the start of the ring cycle, one round will be in firing position 15 in chamber frame 2 and the frame '13 'will be locked in this position by locking bars 3, and the shuttle mechanism y4 will be held by catches 40 bearing against sleeve 67.

After the rst round is fired, gases from barrel -1 enter ports 69 and into the two gas cylinders 38. Pistons 68 are moved rearwardly to compress return springs 416 and also move bars 311 longitudinally and rearwardly to slide 4 the two cam plates 48 Iwhereby cam surfaces 49 move actuating rods 23 vertically and out of holes 24 in the bottom and top vvalls of frame |13 respectively whereby the locking bars 3 are moved out of grooves 212 in walls 11 and 14 and the frame is in unlocked condition.

Gases from barrel 1 next enter ports 66, near the muzzle end of the barrel, and into gas cylinders 44 to move pistons -64 rearwardly to compress return springs 65 and operate the shuttle system 4 by moving rods 2.7 rearwardly and longitudinally whereby cam followers t28 travel in cam slot 29 to move the frame '13 to one side for a round of ammunition to be forced by the drive on that side of the gun into position to the left or right for loading in the frame. As the breech end of the barrel is partially opened during this operation, the residual gases will be bled from the barrel. Also as the frame .13 moves either left or right, a spent round 17 is ejected by gravity being assisted by a latch 20. Latch 20 is operated on either side of the gun by the pressure of either side wall ,11 or 12 when it reaches the extreme position along the chamber 6.

Upon completion of the loading, ejecting and chambering operation of the mechanism, reduction of the gas pressure in barnel 1 and gas cylinders 38 and 44 cause return springs 46 and 65 to move pistons 68 and 64 to their forward positions in their respective cylinders 3S fand 44 and thereby actuate rods 27 to cause cam followers l2S to move frame v13 into another tiring position at 15 and to actuate bars 3 into their locking position by cam plates 48.

As long as ammunition Iis `stacked in positions 8 and 9 the gun will continue tiring at a fast rate of speed.

The drive system forcing the ammunition into frame |13 is operated from a separate force.

'Ihe gun is a highly compact unit for use in constricted space d-ue to the feeding of the ammunition in stacked relation close to the sides of the gun.

The drives shown in FIG. 17 are by vvay of illustration and any other method of forcing the ammunition may be employed.

Variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concept of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An automatic Weapon :for ining ammunition which is fed from both sides of the weapon and is arranged in vertically stacked relation adjacent the breech end of the weapon, said weapon comprising in combination, a rectangular chamber frame having a rectangular transverse opening therein, said chamber frame including top, bottom, front and end Walls, a barrel secured to said front wall, said top and bottom walls having a series of vertical holes therein, a shuttle mechanism slidable. in said transverse opening for the automatic feeding of ammunition trom the aforementioned stacked relation alternately from either side of said Weapon into simultaneous loading, tiring and ejecting positions therein, said shuttle mechanism including a rectangular frame, a pair of side walls having longitudinal grooves in their top and bottom surfaces and an intermediate wall having longitudinal grooves i-n its top and bottom surfaces, means for alternately moving said shuttle mechanism from side to side comprising a first piston assembly attached to said barrel and responsive yto gas pressure therein, cam assembly mounted lon the 4fnont wall of said chamber frame and connected to said shuttle mechanism and said first piston assembly, locking means for locking said shuttle mechanism in said alternate positions comprising a iirst cam plate having earn surfaces slidable along the bottom of said bottom wall of said chamber lframe, a second cam plate having cam surfaces slidable along the top of said top -wall of said chamber frame, a plurality of actuating rods slidable in said vertical holes in said top and bottom walls of said chamber frame the outer ends of said rods being in contact with said cam surfaces, a locking bar pivotally mounted to the inner ends of said actuating rods and adapted to engage said grooves in said shuttle mechanism walls when actuated .by said cam surfaces and means for sliding said cam plates `for actuating said locking means comprising a second piston assembly attached to said barrel and responsive to gas pressure from said barrels and a plurality of rods connecting said second piston assembly and said cam plates.

2. An automatic weapon for :tiring ammunition which is arranged -in vertically stacked relation on each side thereof comprising in combination; a barrel; a chamber tirarme attached to the lbreech end of said barrel, said chamber having top, bottom, forward and rearward walls 'whereby there is formed a transverse opening extending from side ro side therein, said top and bottom walls havting a series of vertical, aligned bores therethrough and a series of recesses in the inner faces thereof; a shuttle assembly slidably mounted in said transverse opening for movement from side to side into positions for loading said ammunition, presenting said ammunition for tiring in said 'barrel and-ejecting the spent ammunition cases, said shuttle assembly comprising la pair of side walls, an intermediate wall and a frame secured to said side walls, there being a longitudinal Igroove along the top and bottom sides of said last named walls, said grooves in said side land intermediate walls registering alternately with the recesses in said top and botto-n1 walls of said charnber drame when said shuttle assembly is shifted from said loading, said tiring and said ejecting positions; a gas actuated mechanism for moving said shuttle assembly into said last named positions comprising, a iirst pair of cylinders secured on opposite sides of said barrel and near the muzzle end thereof, there being a port between said barrel and each cylinder, a piston slidable in each cylinder, a piston return spring i-n each cylinder, a pair of rods connected at their forward ends, one each, to a piston and extending rearwardly therefrom, a cam follower mounted Ion the rearward end of each rod, a pair of cams slidably arranged, one each, `on the top and bottom walls respectively of said chamber frame, there being a V- shaped cam slot in each said cam for receiving a said cam follower, said cams constituting top and bottom sides of said rame on said shuttle assembly whereby when said last named nods are reciprocated by the pistons in the cylinders, said shuttle is moved alternately [E1-om side to side into stations for ammunition loading, ring and ejection of spent cases, in said opening in said chamber rframe; and a .gais responsive mechanism rior locking said shuttle assembly when in tiring station comprising, a second pair lof cylinders secured =one each on each side of said barrel and ibeing located adjacent said chamber fra-me a-nd positioned at :right angles with respect to said iirst pair of cylinders, there being a port between each cylinder and the barrel, a piston slidable in each cylinder, a piston return spring in each cylinder, la sleeve connected to each piston and slidable on said barrel, a first pair of rearwardly extending rods integrally lconn-ected at their forward ends to said sleeve and arranged in parallel relation along the top wall of said chamber frame, a second pair of rearwardly extending rods integrally connected with said -sleeve and Iarranged in parallel relation along the bottom wall of said chamber frame, a rst cam plate connected to the rearward lends of said irst pair lof rods and slidable along the Itop wall ou? said chamber trarne, a second cam plate connected to the rearward ends of said second pair of rods and slidable along the bottom wall of said chamber frame, there being inclined cam surfaces on 4said tirst and vsecond cam plates, and a plurality of vertically `disposed actuating rods slidable in said vertical lbores in said top and bottom walls of said chamber frame, each said actuating rod having a head pontiotn engaging a said cam surface on said cam plates, a locking bar pivotally connected at 'one of its ends to a respective actuating nod and pivotally connected at its other end in a respective recess in said top land bottom walls of said chamber frame, whereby when said cam plates are reciprocated said locking bars will pivot into said longitudinal grooves in said walls of said shuttle assembly and lock said assembly when in its iiring station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,741,900 Alden Dec. 31, 1929 2,213,953 Conlon Sept. 10, 1940 2,359,517 Gebeau Oct. 3, 1944 2,594,199 Motley Apr. 22, 1952 2,851,927 Smith Sept. 16, 1958 2,866,412 Meyer et al Dec. 30, 1958 2,979,992 Colby Apr. 1,8, 19611 

1. AN AUTOMATIC WEAPON FOR FIRING AMMUNITION WHICH IS FED FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE WEAPON AND IS ARRANGED IN VERTICALLY STACKED RELATION ADJACENT THE BREECH END OF THE WEAPON, SAID WEAPON COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A RECTANGULAR CHAMBER FRAME HAVING A RECTANGULAR TRANSVERSE OPENING THEREIN, SAID CHAMBER FRAME INCLUDING TOP, BOTTOM, FRONT AND END WALLS, A BARREL SECURED TO SAID FRONT WALL, SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS HAVING A SERIES OF VERTICAL HOLES THEREIN, A SHUTTLE MECHANISM SLIDABLE IN SAID TRANSVERSE OPENING FOR THE AUTOMATIC FEEDING OF AMMUNITION FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED STACKED RELATION ALTERNATELY FROM EITHER SIDE OF SAID WEAPON INTO SIMULTANEOUS LOADING, FIRING AND EJECTING POSITIONS THEREIN, SAID SHUTTLE MECHANISM INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR FRAME, A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS HAVING LONGITUDINAL GROOVES IN THEIR TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES AND AN INTERMEDIATE WALL HAVING LONGITUDINAL GROOVES IN ITS TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES, MEANS FOR ALTERNATELY MOVING SAID SHUTTLE MECHANISM FROM SIDE TO SIDE COMPRISING A FIRST PISTON ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO SAID BARREL AND RESPONSIVE TO GAS PRESSURE THEREIN, CAM ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE FRONT WALL OF SAID CHAMBER FRAME AND CONNECTED TO SAID SHUTTLE MECHANISM AND SAID FIRST PISTON ASSEMBLY, LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID SHUTTLE MECHANISM IN SAID ALTERNATE POSITIONS COMPRISING A FIRST CAM PLATE HAVING CAM SURFACES SLIDABLE ALONG THE BOTTOM OF SAID BOTTOM WALL OF SAID CHAMBER FRAME, A SECOND CAM PLATE HAVING CAM SURFACES SLIDABLE ALONG THE TOP OF SAID TOP WALL OF SAID CHAMBER FRAME, A PLURALITY OF ACTUATING RODS SLIDABLE IN SAID VERTICAL HOLES IN SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER FRAME THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID RODS BEING IN CONTACT WITH SAID CAM SURFACES, A LOCKING BAR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO THE INNER ENDS OF SAID ACTUATING RODS AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID GROOVES IN SAID SHUTTLE MECHANISM WALLS WHEN ACTUATED BY SAID CAM SURFACES AND MEANS FOR SLIDING SAID CAM PLATES FOR ACTUATING SAID LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A SECOND PISTON ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO SAID BARREL AND RESPONSIVE TO GAS PRESSURE FROM SAID BARREL AND A PLURALITY OF RODS CONNECTING SAID SECOND PISTON ASSEMBLY AND SAID CAM PLATES. 